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Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2933.65 (2026)

Civil and criminal actions for wiretapping and electronic surveillance violations

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
June 13, 1996
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 181 - 121st General Assembly
PDF:
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(A) A person whose wire, oral, or electronic communications are intercepted, disclosed, or intentionally used in violation of sections 2933.51 to 2933.66 of the Revised Code may bring a civil action to recover from the person or entity that engaged in the violation any relief that may be appropriate and that includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) The preliminary and other equitable or declaratory relief that is appropriate;

(2) Whichever of the following is greater:

(a) Liquidated damages computed at a rate of two hundred dollars per day for each day of violation or liquidated damages of ten thousand dollars, whichever is greater;

(b) The sum of actual damages suffered by the plaintiff and the profits, if any, made as a result of the violation by the person or entity that engaged in the violation.

(3) Punitive damages, if appropriate;

(4) Reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation expenses that are reasonably incurred in bringing the civil action.

(B) Good faith reliance on an interception warrant, extension of an interception warrant, other court order, a grant of an oral order for an interception, a grand jury subpoena, a legislative or statutory authorization, or a good faith determination that divisions (A) and (B) of section 2933.521 of the Revised Code permitted the conduct that is the subject of a complaint is a complete defense to a civil action or criminal action that is brought under the laws of this state and that arises out of the execution of the warrant or the oral order.

(C) A claimant who brings a civil action under division (A) of this section shall commence the civil action within two years after the date on which the claimant first has a reasonable opportunity to discover the violation.

(D) The remedies and sanctions described in sections 2933.51 to 2933.66 of the Revised Code with respect to the interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications are the only judicial remedies and sanctions for violations of those sections involving those types of communications that are not violations of the constitution of the United States or of this state.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases, 1994–2020 · leading case: State v. Bidinost, 1994 Ohio 465 (Ohio 1994).
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State v. Bidinost, 1994 Ohio 465 (Ohio 1994). “R.C. 2933.65 provides, in part: “(A) Any person whose wire or oral communications are intercepted, disclosed, or used in violation of sections 2933.”
John H. Nix v. Patrick J. O'Malley Weston, Hurd, Fallon, Paisley & Howley, 160 F.3d 343 (6th Cir. 1998). “See Ohio Rev.Code Ann. § 2933.65 (Banks-Baldwin 1998) (reprinting the pre-amendment text).”
Phillips v. Am. Motorist Ins. Co., 996 S.W.2d 584 (Mo. Ct. App. 1999). “§ 15A-296 (1997); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2933.65 (Banks-Baldwin 1998); Or.”
Sherman v. Biglari (N.D. Ohio 2020). · cites it 2× “) See Ohio Rev. Code § 2933.65(c) (“A claimant who brings a civil action under division (A) of this section [for violations of sections 2933.”
State v. Bidinost, 1994 Ohio 465 (Ohio 1994). “8 R.C. 2933.65 provides, in part: "(A) Any person whose wire or oral communications are intercepted, disclosed, or used in violation of sections 2933.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2933.65(c) — 1 case
Sherman v. Biglari (N.D. Ohio 2020). “) See Ohio Rev. Code § 2933.65(c) (“A claimant who brings a civil action under division (A) of this section [for violations of sections 2933.”
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